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Mathematics, Numbers, and Computers - What Is The Lifespan Of A Cd-Rom Disc?

What is the lifespan of a CD-ROM disc?

The CD-ROM (compact disc-read only memory) is a device on which computerized information can be stored only once (unlike a hard drive or floppy disk, on which information can be stored and altered multiple times). These small plastic discs (4.75 in or 12 cm in diameter) can hold vast amounts of information, which is read by a laser.

Although manufacturers claim that a CD-ROM disc will last 20 years, recent statements by the United States National Archives and Records Administration suggest that a lifespan of 3 to 5 years is more accurate. The main problem is that the aluminum coating on which the data is recorded is vulnerable to oxidation (corrosion).

Source: PRLC Technical Bulletin, new series no. 33 (January-February 1992), item 16.

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